DeKalb County man admits trading meth for stolen items

Times Staff Report

Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 6:54 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 6:55 p.m.

A DeKalb County man admitted trading methamphetamine for stolen items recovered at his home in the Painter community. Some of the items were reported stolen from as far away as Washington, according to a news release from DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris.

Johnny Dewayne Croley, 36, was charged with three counts of first-degree stolen property and one count of second-degree stolen property.

He was arrested at his home on County Road 3 in the Painter community between Geraldine and Albertville after investigators received permission to search.

Several items were seized after Croley admitted to taking them in exchange for meth, Harris said.

Power tools, a Bobcat loader with two attachments, a 2008 Chevrolet 3500 pickup, two fuel tanks and 187 new cross-ties were recovered from the shop area and the woods behind his home.

The truck, fuel tanks and Bobcat were reported stolen in Jackson County. A large winch for a truck also was recovered and determined to be stolen from Washington. The cross-ties were identified by railroad police as belonging to Norfolk Southern Railroad and were reported stolen from railroad property near Birmingham.

The value of the items recovered is about $80,000. It appears most of the stolen property was exchanged at truck stops, Harris said.

Croley was out of jail on bond from an arrest in February for receiving stolen property at the time of his recent arrest. That bond has been revoked and Croley remains in the DeKalb County jail.

“We hope to return this property to the rightful owners as soon as possible,” Harris said. “Most of it has already been claimed, but we are continuing to follow up on this case.”

<p>A DeKalb County man admitted trading methamphetamine for stolen items recovered at his home in the Painter community. Some of the items were reported stolen from as far away as Washington, according to a news release from DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris.</p><p>Johnny Dewayne Croley, 36, was charged with three counts of first-degree stolen property and one count of second-degree stolen property.</p><p>He was arrested at his home on County Road 3 in the Painter community between Geraldine and Albertville after investigators received permission to search.</p><p>Several items were seized after Croley admitted to taking them in exchange for meth, Harris said.</p><p>Power tools, a Bobcat loader with two attachments, a 2008 Chevrolet 3500 pickup, two fuel tanks and 187 new cross-ties were recovered from the shop area and the woods behind his home.</p><p>The truck, fuel tanks and Bobcat were reported stolen in Jackson County. A large winch for a truck also was recovered and determined to be stolen from Washington. The cross-ties were identified by railroad police as belonging to Norfolk Southern Railroad and were reported stolen from railroad property near Birmingham. </p><p>The value of the items recovered is about $80,000. It appears most of the stolen property was exchanged at truck stops, Harris said.</p><p>Croley was out of jail on bond from an arrest in February for receiving stolen property at the time of his recent arrest. That bond has been revoked and Croley remains in the DeKalb County jail.</p><p>“We hope to return this property to the rightful owners as soon as possible,” Harris said. “Most of it has already been claimed, but we are continuing to follow up on this case.”</p>